


Bombastic Liability

by UriPara



Category: Solar Opposites
Genre: Breakup, Cute, Drama, M/M, Mild cussing, Sad, also if u dont know bombastic it will be explained, big fancy words uuu, how crystals kinda work, how the boys met, hurt feels, korvo is my partner now, not super canon compliant, relationship ended with Terri, relationships, terry and terri break up, terry is smarter than you think, tervo, the holodeck is not fully canon, totally based on the song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:00:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24658762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UriPara/pseuds/UriPara
Summary: Terry didn't really like Shlorp anyway, in fact some of his fondest memories were of it approaching it’s destruction; it was where he met Korvo and left Terri after all.
Relationships: Korvotron "Korvo"/Terry (Solar Opposites), terri/terry
Comments: 15
Kudos: 75





	Bombastic Liability

**Author's Note:**

> -Liability: a person or thing whose presence or behavior is likely to cause embarrassment or put one at a disadvantage.-

Shlorp’s main academy hall was vast and spacious, the eco friendly walls and silver embellishments would make any onlooker gasp and swoon. It housed some of the planet’s finest thinkers, each one destined for greatness. At least each one would have been if the scientists hadn’t discovered that their M-class planet was in the collision course of an asteroid. Oh well, their race would persevere, and they were remarkable calm about the whole ordeal. 

Terry especially thought the whole thing was blown out of proportion, they would just make a new planet anyway. He blinked and tried to stay focused as the old tree professor continued, “It is not a question of relevance, but whether or not you can sustain-” he blinked and missed it. His head was off contemplating the next best thing to do. The next best thing to entertain him, like playing shlee ball or practicing spaceship orbital pathways, maybe even shacking up with a fellow pupa enthusiast. He smiled dreamily and pictured the most recent student who caught his fancy, Terri, they had a pink crystal and a cute pursed face. 

Terri and Terry had been seeing each other for a while and he had quickly grown so fond of her that he asked her to be his life partner. She had happily accepted and they had a ceremony where their data crystals were given special flare. They also received some tax benefits and a sweet parking space for public areas. 

A student in another row raised their hand and excitedly questioned, “But how can a goobler sustain itself outside of its natural habitat, the Shlorpian body?” 

It made him blink and focus back for a moment, another student was brought onto the platform with the professor. They seed stuffy with their crisp robes and high chin. The blue Shlorpian nodded, “They don’t for long, as a member of the engineering core I-”

And just like that Terry was out again, his eyes fogged over and he pictured taking Terri out onto the main deck of the campus. Preferably at sundown, where their planet’s beautiful atmosphere shined pink and purple. He would grasp her face and tell her he wished they could start a family and-

“Exactly!” The professor replied loudly. Terry blinked and the blue student was being patted on the back. The old tree continued, “Korvo here is truly an inspiration.” Terry rolled his eyes and saw the stuffy student eat up the attention and praise. The professor added, “I want everyone to have their allegory prepared by the next lesson.” 

Terry swallowed and looked around the room, class was over and people were packing up. The stuffy student stood with the professor and Terry decided that he would have to walk over to them. He put on his best smile and greeted the professor with his usual cheerful demeanor. “Hey teach! Great lesson. I was hoping you could tell me a little bit more about what exactly you want me to do?” He nodded nervously. 

Korvo stood like he had a pole taped to his back and loudly judged him, “Weren’t you paying attention?” 

The professor replied, “I think you two would benefit doing this project together.”

Terry finger gunned, “Sweet.”

Korvo stammered, “W-What? But I’ve already completed the project! it’s been done for a week now!”

Terry smiled wider, “Sweet, I haven’t done shit.” 

The old Shlorpian nodded, “That's why I want you and Terry to work together, I think you will bring out the best in each other.” 

Korvo scoffed, “I’m fine, my project will be fine!” Terry continued to smile at the prospect of having a kiss ass student do the grunt work. 

The professor laughed, “I’ll see you both then!” and worked his way down the corridor of seats. 

Korvo huffed and turned to Terry, “Fine, but I’ll do everything! I don’t want you messing anything up for me!”

“Fine by me,” he shrugged. 

Korvo then handed him his contact information and added, “Just answer if I call alright?”

“It's all good Korv!”

“Korvotron, just call me by my full name,” he then walked off and Terry rolled his eyes at how melodramatic the alien seemed. 

Terry went outside into the quad and decided to call Terri. After a few rings she answered, sounding a little off, “Hi Terry.”

“Hi bug! Mind if I take a pod over to your house and see you this weekend?”

She paused, “Sure.”

“Kay! See you tomorrow!” Her tone went unnoticed and he quickly ran to his dorm to pack his duffle bag. 

—-

Terry laid back in the pod wistfully as it rounded the countryside and approached the city. The transportation station was efficient and as immaculate as the rest of the city. The pod was a pearly white with blue accents, while the inside was an onyx black with four plush seats. His weekend hadn’t gone well, well it hadn’t really gone at all. The Shlorpian calendar gave them a three day period to relax, and he had only spent one with Terri. 

The dusk sky filtered in past the trees and pod windows, painting his frame and robe in pink. He swallowed thickly as his head began a tirade of thoughts and emotions that he couldn’t begin to process. He played with the pink teardrop shaped gem that was once adorned to his robes. 

Terri said she needed space. She said she was worried about not being chosen to leave the planet and about...them. Said she didn’t want to know him anymore. That she would rather end their relationship and live her life to the fullest. Whatever time they had left, she didn’t want to spend it with him. 

He blinked and realized he was crying, he clutched the pink gem and whipped his face. She said, it was always too much. That the world was too much, that he was too much. 

He opened his holo phone and dialed each number he had as the pod passed through the forests and unique biomes of their home world. Each dorm mate. Each one night stand of the past and present. Each friend he had acquired through his years. 

None of them answered.

So he sighed. Too busy, too preoccupied, it's too much of a hassle. 

He swiped through his phone once more. He wanted to call Terri but couldn’t, there was nothing else he could say. He saw Korvotron’s name, “Who?” he blinked, “Oh right from class.” He groaned, he didn’t want that kiss ass to hear about his problems, but he still wanted someone to talk to. So he dialed. 

Korvo answered on the first ring, “Terry!” He sounded excited, but in a bad way, “Where have you been!?”

“Busy, uh taking care of some stuff? Why?”

“I need to see you right now! I’ve been calling you!”

“You do?” Terry tried not to sound excited, “You have?” The calls must have been blocked when he was trying to reach his friends. 

“Yes! Please come to C-D block 4!” 

“I am on my way!”

“Good!” Korvo then hung up. 

Terry stood abruptly and typed for the pod to take him to the Center for Demolition on block 4. The hyper rail adjusted and converted to take him toward the back side of the city.

——

Her words still rung about inside his head, “It's just too much. The planet. You. Everyone.”

The scene still played. He had replied, “We’ll get through this, it'll be alright.” 

She was exasperated, “You don't know that,” her normally sweet face looked sour.

He took her hands, “We have each other Terri, that's what’s important.”

“No it isn’t,” she removed her hands and placed them at her side, “I don’t want to be a pair anymore. I can’t handle it.” 

“Why are-”

“Because it’s too much pressure! You! You put too much pressure!” 

He paused, “There has to be another reason, that can't be true?” 

She shook her head, “It is. Y-you’re just a big storm!”

“I am?” He was taken aback by that.

She waved her hands, “You come in all happy and perfect and it's just too much!”

“Me? Perfect?” he blinked. He was always being reprimanded for his dress and nonconformity, so that sounded like a stretch. 

“I'm tired of it! It's killing me!” She was popping gooblers and clutched at her chest, “I can’t anymore I’m sorry. You need to meet someone new because I don’t like this.” 

His voice seemed so small, “But I like you?”

“And I liked you too,” she removed her little green hexicon gem and placed it on the table. “But this, this was a mistake.”

He touched his pink one and collected his thoughts, “Okay.” When he looked back up she was sniffling and when she was about to add something else Korvo snapped him out of it. 

“This bombastic oil can’t do shit!” Korvo kicked at the bucket, the large oil drum rocked, “Ridiculous!” Terry looked around, oh right they were here now. 

He rubbed at his eyes, “Why are we here now?” 

Korvo simply answered, “I had a thesis on how to stop red gooblers, but it wasn't a proper allegory!” He kicked the bucket again. “So here we are!” He kicked but missed, “And you haven’t done anything!”

“I haven’t?” He was trying to focus, “Wait you didn't want me to!”

“I didn’t want your help because I thought I was right!” He struggled to push the barrel. “My thesis was wrong! No oil or burning fuel can stop the process. I had a working hypothesis that if the red goobler was killed before it was omitted from the body,” he continued to push the barrel to try and knock it over, “But nothing solves it.”

Terry stretched out his arms, “What does bomba-bombas- that word?” He gripped the barrel and tipped it so that the oil poured out into the drain on the floor. 

Korvo seemed to calm down, “Bombastic means that something is perceived to be important but really isn’t. This oil was my thesis.”

Terry left the barrel on the ground and hummed in reply as he felt the pink gem in his pocket, “Pretty sure this works as an allegory.”

“What do you mean?” Korvo was out of breath. 

“This. Me not answering, you doing all the work, it’ll be perfect for the professor.” 

Korvo stood straight, “I’m not following?”

Terry led him out of the building, “Is about how everything works together. You couldn’t do it on your own, I certainly didn’t do it on my own, we had to work together. Just like red gooblers aren’t a danger as long as you have someone to watch...your back.”

Korvo stared back, “An allegory about working together on our project to relate to my failed thesis on Shlorpians needing someone to “watch their back” so to speak?”

Terry nodded, “Yes!”

“Terry,” he paused, “That is ingenious! Do you think the professor came up with that on their own!? Or was it something we had to discover together?” 

Terry decided to nod and reply, “What else could it be?” 

Korvo gasped as they continued their walk, “Now I can keep my report! And I can just add this to the end for the allegory.” 

Before they made it to the transportation pods Terry paused, “Do you wanna hang out a little bit more?”

Korvo checked his watch, “Sure, why not.” They walked to a sitting area just as the sun set over the horizon.

“I don’t really wanna go home,” he knew that if he went home he would have to put on his old pink gem. The kind that wasn’t fancy or unique. 

“I’m sure you have friends you can call, they’ll keep you busy.” Korvo then took out a book from the folds of his robe. 

“I thought I did.” Terry put his feet up, “How much longer does Shlorp have anyway?”

“Current estimates are that they’ll have to start the lottery process in less than a year.” 

He sighed, “Bummer.” 

Korvo shrugged, “It can be.” 

The thoughts started, Terry didn’t think he was a screw up. He didn’t think he was that hard to please. But maybe looking back at it, he was. Maybe he did care a little bit too much about himself, maybe he did expect just a little bit more out of others than he put in. He scratched his head, it seemed like more than anything he just wanted to be entertained. He constantly needed someone, and that made him ask: “Aren’t you part of the replicant program?”

Korvo flipped a page, “Yes.” 

“And people with a replicant are more likely to be chosen for off planet terraforming?” 

“Yes?” 

“Do you think they’ll choose pair bonded couples?”

“Perhaps. If they’re going to stick to the lottery system then I guess not.” 

Terry held the pink gem in the light by the benches, it cascaded a pretty tinted glow onto his face, “I want to meet mine.”

Korvo glanced at him but continued with his book, “You can’t until they have developed and finished training.”

“It's been long enough?”

“If you are chosen to go off planet you’d probably only meet them then.”

Terry felt like crying again, “So if I don’t get chosen, and I am forced to stay here. Then my replicant will die having never met me?”

Korvo was nonchalant, “Correct.” 

Terry gripped the gem, “That sucks.” 

“I didn’t meet mine before they turned into a tree.”

Terry sat up, “No way?”

“They became part of the outer cottage district at least.”

“Oh that area is nice!”

Korvo smiled, “Buy you’re right it is a shame, people with replicants seem so happy to contribute to the next generation.” Korvo paused when Terry didn’t reply and stared at his gem. He put the book down, “So what’s wrong with your pair bonded gem? Do you need to get it resewn on?” 

Terry stood on the table, “Nope.” He then wound up and pitched it as far as his arm would let him. Korvo gasped as it sailed out past the overhangs and disappeared into the dark. 

“Alright then?”

Terry sat back down, “I’m starting to think it was _bombastic_.” 

Korvo laughed a little, “Sorry to hear that.”

Terry shrugged, “I wanna apply for a new color.”

Korvo glanced at his own green diamond gem, “I was assigned emerald, but I wanted teal sapphire to match my skin.”

Terry sat back down, “Maybe I’ll get blue, maybe like a round pearl? Teardrops are lame.” 

—-

After his break-up with Terri, the interactions between the ex-couple became increasingly awkward. It started to make him see that people seemed to merely tolerate him. The more he tried to make plans with his friends, the more they pulled back. It seemed like all it took was one misplaced phrase about class or one joke too many, and they would pull away. The way they looked at him just changed. He felt that maybe he took Terri’s words too seriously, he wasn’t too much, but the more he looked for evidence, the more it appeared.

He was just a little too much. 

But for every party he was invited to, for every outing to see fireworks, to every telescope bash of the impending meteor, he was invited to make everyone happy. His energy and spirit always seemed to make people go wild. Until the party was over. Then they’d leave. And no one checked if he made it home at night. 

Because his usefulness had run its course. The parts that people enjoyed didn’t outweigh what they didn’t. People grew tired of his antics and they grew bored of his personality. It was always so exciting to be included, he fell for it every time. Spray painting the Dean’s office, pouring manure down the water pipes, every perfect day with people who encouraged you to be the best version of you they wanted to see. 

He gasped when he was roughly elbowed in Pupa care 101. The classmate apologized and shuffled past him to the row. He focused back on the lesson, it discussed how the pupa-class bioengineered creatures were incredibly volatile. They would triple in size and consume everything before spreading in a super helix that would terraform the designated planet from the outside in. 

Terry fiddled with his pen and balanced it on his upper lip. The professor continued with a holographic display of the slug creatures and their jam packed DNA sequencing about soil conditions and seed replication. “They should not be in too much sunlight. They should be kept inside the ship at all times. Anything more than 15 minutes of sunlight a day can damage their internal clock and prevent a successful mission.” Terry’s eyes perked at that, “UV light and anything similar is counterproductive.” 

He looked down at the yellow baby-like creature, highly advanced yet so basic. The plastic display model was hollow faced and devoid of personality. So took out his pen and drew a happy face on it. He felt a kinship with the little thing, seemingly good for one purpose and one purpose only. 

\----

“I feel that you’re too much of a liability,” the large elder stated as he met with Terry privately. 

“What?” Terry’s face struggled to form a smile.

The elder shook his head, “I think equipping you with a pupa would cause a disadvantage. I don’t believe you are mature enough to take on terraforming duty.”

Terry swallowed, “Well that’s for the lottery to really say.”

“No it isn’t. It isn’t random, it's highly calculated, and I don’t believe you will qualify.”

Terry felt a large weight on his chest, “I don’t?” 

“You’re doing well enough in your studies, and you seem to have a better grasp on things than what you want others to think, but I am afraid it will take too much to ensure that you-”

Terry perked up, “Okay! No problem! I gotta go now though!” He dashed off as the elder scolded from a distance. Too much. Always too much. 

Currently lacking in the friendship department, or rather lacking in trust if his friends actually liked him, Terry decided to hunt down his old classmate. He needed someone who didn't think he was too much. 

He groaned loudly as he sat beside Korvo in the library, “What am I gonna do when I’m done with all this lame academy training?” The asteroid was due in less than 5 lunar months but nothing had changed. 

Korvo was as calm as always, “Well you’ll just have to go off on your own. I’m going to continue in my field of engineering.” He didn’t question his presence or shoo him away. 

Terry sighed, “I am registered to be a Pupa expert.” 

“That's good to be chosen, but you don’t sound too excited about that?” 

“I'm not.” He wanted friends and family, not a slug; but he kept telling himself he could make it work. The idea that he wouldn’t even qualify for the lottery now however, hindered his positivity. He mumbled under his breath, “How do you make it work?” 

Korvo turned, “Make what work?” 

Terry paused a moment, “Nothing.” He had never seen Korvo with others. He figured he knew what it was like to be alone, but Terry was wiser than to bring it up around him lest he lose another friend. His eyes perked, “Korvo are we friends?”

The blue alien stifled a laugh but replied calmly, “We were classmates.”

“Yeah but like, we’re cool right?” Aka, you don’t think I’m not enough right? 

“Weren’t you the one who filled the drinking water with manure?”

“...Yes.”

“Does it sound like we’re friends?”

Terry pouted, “I don’t know?”

Korvo checked his watch and closed his book, “I guess we are, you did help me ace that class after all.” 

Terry beamed and followed him, “Did you know I also have programming and technical skills? Do you think that will help with the lottery?” 

“I suppose.” 

The two of them started spending much more time together, it mostly consisted of Korvo studying and Terry talking about the lottery system and/or the most recent party. But it never felt like Korvo was getting tired of him, it felt like Korvo genuinely enjoyed his company.

———

When the evacuation of the planet was announced, the lottery took place. Adult Shlorpians were issued a Pupa and given their replicant. Not to Terry’s surprise, he was paired up with Korvo. 

The space port was calm and orderly as many Shlorpians left the planet to terraform elsewhere, while others were either left to die or placed in evacuation pods to drift until a new planet was made. 

He approached the ship with a spring in his step, “Great day to evacuate huh?” The sky was bright and the air smelled fresh. 

Korvo looked up, “It’s probably so nice out because the approaching meteor is affecting our gravitational pull and atmosphere.” 

“True facts,” Terry then unpacked the Pupa and put it inside the ship to sit and watch. 

Korvo smiled, “I'm glad we were chosen together.” 

Terry barely paused, “Me too!” 

An alarm sounded with a countdown and soon a representative walked over with the replicants. When he met his replicant Jesse he was overcome with joy. He waved at her and she waved back before they began talking pleasantly and packing up the ship. She looked just like him and he was so excited to learn more about her.

Within a matter of minutes they were done and boarded the ship. It soon exited the atmosphere and they watched from a growing distance as the planet met its end in a bright impact. 

Terry held the Pupa close and it squeaked in response. 

——

“Getting drunk in Vegas and then subsequently getting married to Ansel Elgort doesn’t count.”

“Yes it does!” Terry stomped like a toddler. The replicants moved around him, they grabbed their lunches and peaked inside. 

Terry had been quite fragile once they had landed on this planet a few months ago. And finding out fermented plant matter could provide a reliable buzz didn't help his emotional state as he decided to party. Korvo had been preoccupied with fixing the ship, something the engineer discovered was far more difficult than he had anticipated, and it made Terry all the sadder. 

“Terry, that isn’t the same thing! I will not go to Vegas with you.” Korvo grabbed the car keys, “I think you’ll be able to care for yourself.”

Terry picked up Pupa and they walked outside, “Fine. If you won’t join me, I just won't go.” He didn’t need another incident like that, and he was trying to focus more on the prospect of Korvo maybe becoming his new partner. But that was for down the line. 

Korvo started the car as they all piled in, “It would just be a hassle.”

Terry pouted and questioned, “I would be a hassle?” 

“You know the replicants would go crazy there,” he turned to make sure everyone had their seat belts on. 

Jesse nodded, “It's true.”

Yumyulack gripped his bag, “I wanna clone those famous white tigers! I would ride it through the streets and place bets on who it would eat!” 

Korvo gestured, “See? All together would be too much.” 

Terry paused, “Oh.” Still coming to terms that he wasn’t a hassle. 

Jesse added as the car started, “There’s this contest at school for whoever sells the most cakes gets an art set, and I was wondering if you guys would help us sell some?” Terry smiled that she enjoyed the weird human school enough to compete. 

Yumyulack scoffed, “Not just an art set you also get a stack of comics!”

“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Korvo turned onto the street. 

Yumyulack added “But it’s also like a lottery for whoever sells the most, we just want the main prize.”

Terry smiled, “Those can easily be rigged. No problem you guys are a shoo-in!” 

Korvo added, “I think our neighbors could easily be persuaded to purchase some food.” They handed aliens moving in and buying a home well enough. 

Terry bounced in his seat, “How exciting.” 

—-

Terry looked at the family card they had taken at the summer festival. His family was so bright and pretty, all squished together in the small square with a floral backdrop. He had on a Funbucket shirt and Korvo had food stains on his robe after losing an eating contest. He giggled, it had been nearly a year now since they landed. Sure they didn’t fit in here and it was a struggle sometimes, but he preferred it over anywhere else. 

“Ready for our walk?” He winked as he placed the pupa into the baby harness attached to his chest. It cooed and wiggled happily as he opened the door. 

Korvo was in the front yard watering, “Going for a walk?” 

“Yep!” He patted the pupa, “Gotta get that sunlight, It’s important for a growing body.” He posed like Wonder Woman, dramatically catching the rays. 

“Can you stop by the market as well? I think we’re out of peanut butter and jelly. If it's not a hassle,” Korvo moved toward the flowers. 

“Sure! It's just around the block,” he nodded and started his light jog, “No hassle at all.” 

It would always be bright here.

**Author's Note:**

> Third Solar Opposites fic! How exciting! Please leave comments and Kudos <3   
> I really wanted to explore Terry's personality and how he is more driven and intelligent than we are lead to believe.


End file.
